The tourism sector in Bahrain generated BD6.5 million (over US$17 million) this year, marking a 15 per cent increase over 2006.

According to the Bahraini daily Akhbar Al Khaleej, acting director of the revenue and licensing departments at the tourism sector, Huda Al Hamar said she expected the next few years to generate even more revenue as the number of hotels, restaurants and other tourist facilities continues to rise.

Meanwhile, acting tourism undersecretary at the ministry of information Fawzi Tulefat said there were more than 15 four-star and five-star hotels currently under construction in Bahrain. These hotels had chosen Bahrain owing to the "constant progress of the tourism sector in the kingdom," he said, according to the BNA. These include the Four Seasons, Sofitel, IBIS, Holiday Express, Holiday Inn, Kempinski and other top hotel chains, he conveyed. According to him, there were seven top-level hotel management companies which were to open offices in Bahrain soon.